Advanced stage at diagnosis: an explanation for higher than expected cancer death rates in Louisiana?

Data from the Louisiana Tumor Registry, Louisiana Vital Statistics Division, and the SEER program of the National Cancer Institute were explored to evaluate reasons for elevated cancer death rates in the absence of elevated cancer incidence in Louisiana. The results indicate that cancer patients in South Louisiana are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease than SEER patients. The Louisiana-SEER differences are greater for blacks than whites, and black patients are more likely to have advanced stage cancer than whites in Louisiana as well as in the SEER program. Of particular interest and concern is the finding that the increased risk of advanced stage disease in Louisiana is significant for cancers which can be detected early and, if so, effectively treated: colon, breast, and cervix. The findings reinforce the need for cancer control programs.